Where does the captain's name "Picard" originated from? Does anyone know? It is supposedly the name of one of the Mexican Gods, but which one? Please respond; it is important issue personally... The rest is FILLERS, so please ignore from this point on................... ...............................................................

The original 'Star Trek' series had its flaws but was a ground-breaking and ahead of its time show with many things that made it hugely impressive. Expectations were high for 'The New Generation', with big shoes to fill but also worries as to how it would fare in correlation with the original show.Good news is that 'The Next Generation' is a very worthy follow up, that will please fans of the original series and also stand very well on its own two feet. There are improvements here as well as a couple of weaknesses. It is agreed that Season 1 is iffy and sees the show struggling to settle, it was Season 3 when the show properly hit its stride. Even for a character meant to be annoying, Wil Wheaton is very annoying.Production values however are a major improvement in 'The Next Generation' over the original series. The sets give more of a sense of awe and the special effects are slicker and more expansive. It is stylishly and beautifully shot too. The music has a lot of energy and atmosphere.Writing is every bit as great as that of the original show. It is entertaining, intelligent, thought-provoking and rich in humanity. The stories, when the show hit its stride, are every bit as high in imagination and just as suspenseful, intriguing and fun. Not quite as ground-breaking as the original series but just as influential and with many of that show's strong points, and actually with a lesser amount of contrived and lacking-in-logic episodes.Character interaction and development, in what is essentially a character-driven show, is one of 'The Next Generation's' best points and where the show particularly excels. Worf and Riker's relationship is particularly interesting, and Picard is just as memorable as Spock. Which is not an easy feat considering Spock's iconic status in the 'Star Trek' universe.Acting is every bit as fine, with the role of Picard containing some of the best acting Patrick Stewart has ever given and he has always been a highly dependable actor. Likewise with Brent Spiner, and Jonathan Frakes proves to be just as good an actor as he is a director. Michael Dorn is also strong. Only Wheaton is lacking here, but there is no acting here that reaches overacting depths like William Shatner in the original series.In summary, well worth exploring and just as good as the original series. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Y'know, when it all comes down to it, I really loved that ship. The Enterprise-D (with its neutral dentist's office decor) really fit with the tone and the characters on "The Next Generation", and it was totally a character.TNG really kept the spirit of exploration alive, and even though Captain Picard isn't swashbuckling or quick with a fist, he really did lead his crew on these strange voyages. It doesn't hurt that Patrick Stewart is a top-shelf actor, but he was also apart of an ensemble cast, and I really did (do) like seeing them from one episode to the next.This is like any TV show with certain seasons better than others; but when the show finally found its voice, it *really* got going. Just one fine episode after another. It's hard to believe the leeway this received as a series, given our current cutthroat ratings climate.I credit this with really planting the seeds in me as a Trekkie. Over the years, I've come to appreciate The Original Series, as well as the movies, but it all started here.It's an amazing show.10/10

Silicon Avatar --Not a very good episode, but even more so because the "so-called" scientist was hell bent on revenge; something that has been told through the annals of history to be an extremely flawed ideology.She completely ruined her science career for doing nothing but fulfilling something she felt her son would've wanted her to do... on that he didn't.Most people will agree with her intentions because we still in a century of having a very primitive mindset. The average intelligent human being today (living in the early 21st century) would have rooted her on like a fanatic football fan with their mouth full of beer and hot dogs.But this isn't today (thank goodness), and what the scientist did is something that a primitive human being (living today) would have done.She was wrong on ALL accounts, and the crystalline entity, for which was not evil nor had evil intentions, was plain and simply "cold murdered".She should not only lose her career, but should be locked up away for life until hers expires, like she did to the defenseless entity that was interested in making contact to perhaps amend for its actions.The entity was not a mass murderer, but she is most certainly now a murder.P.S. Picard was way ahead of the bunch in this episode. My congrats for him being extraordinarily enlightened in the face of adversaries.